war tensions, the performance galvanized the nation and received worldwide attention. >> new york city adds its own bravo to the worldwide crescendo of applause for van cliburn. >> brown: on his return to the u.s., the 23-year-old cliburn was given a ticker-tape parade down broadway, the only classical musician ever so honored. >> i was amazed. and i said, "well, i think this may be-- not for me-- but this may be hopefully the grandest moment or a grand moment for classical music. >> brown: back in 1958, "time" magazine put cliburn on its cover, as "the texan who conquered russia." but that's clearly not the way he saw it. >> well, that's not possible, not in great art. if they appreciate what you did -- i am so grateful, because they were wonderful to me. there was such great audiences; i cannot begin to tell you. i didn't conquer anything. as a matter of fact, they conquered my heart. >> brown: indeed, the soviet audiences adored cliburn. and soon enough, so did audiences around the world. his concerts were regularly sold-out. his album of tchaikovsky's first piano concerto, one of t